Now concerning food sacrificed to idols: we know that ‘all of us possess
knowledge.’ Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2Anyone
who claims to know something does not yet have the necessary knowledge; 3but
anyone who loves God is known by him.

4 Hence, as to the eating of food offered to
idols, we know that ‘no idol in the world really exists,’ and that ‘there
is no God but one.’ 5Indeed,
even though there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as in fact there
are many gods and many lords— 6yet
for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we
exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom
we exist.

7 It is not everyone, however, who has this
knowledge. Since some have become so accustomed to idols until now, they still
think of the food they eat as food offered to an idol; and their conscience,
being weak, is defiled. 8‘Food
will not bring us close to God.’ We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no
better off if we do. 9But take
care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the
weak. 10For if others see you,
who possess knowledge, eating in the temple of an idol, might they not, since
their conscience is weak, be encouraged to the point of eating food sacrificed
to idols? 11So by your
knowledge those weak believers for whom Christ died are destroyed. 12But
when you thus sin against members of your family, and wound their conscience
when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13Therefore,
if food is a cause of their falling, I will never eat meat, so that I may not
cause one of them to fall.